What to do if you’ve been mugged while you’re abroad

If you’ve been mugged or you’ve lost or had your money stolen while you’re on holiday, here’s what you should do:

Get medical help if you’ve been injured

If you need any medical attention, call our assistance line on +44 (0)207 748 0060 as soon as possible. Our team are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and they can tell you exactly what to do.

If you need urgent medical attention, call the local emergency services. You can find the right number for the country you’re in here.

Check exactly what’s been lost or stolen

Credit or debit cards – Try to call the card issuers as soon as possible so you can cancel the cards. You can find out what number to call using Google

Money – Try to remember how much you had on you – you’ll need to tell us how much you had when you make a claim

Travel documents – Get in touch with your tour operator or airline as soon as possible and tell them what happened. They should be able to help you get replacements

Passport – Contact the local British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate (find out where and how here). They’ll tell you exactly what to do. They should be able to give you an emergency passport or documentation. Do this as soon as possible as it can take a bit of time

Other non-essential items – Again, try to remember exactly what was stolen – you’ll need to tell us what was taken when you make a claim

Contact the local police

Make sure you contact the local police, as we’ll ask you for a police report when you claim for your lost or stolen items. They may also be able to help you get them back. If you can, go to the local police station rather than call.

Contact your bank or friends and family for money

Call your bank if you need emergency cash – they may be able to arrange for you to get access to some. Otherwise, see if your friends or family can wire some to you using a money transfer service like Western Union.

As a travel insurer, we can only reimburse the money that’s been lost or stolen after you make a claim – we can’t send you emergency money.

Make a claim when you get home

Once you get back to the UK, you have 31 days from the date you get back to report your claim to us. You can start your claim online or by calling our claims team 0330 400 1383.

Are you OK?

Being mugged can be a traumatic experience, even if you’re not physically hurt. It can take some time to get over. If you need to talk to someone when you’re back in the UK, you may find the Samaritans helpful. They’ll talk to you about anything that’s bothering you; they’re not just for people who are feeling suicidal.

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About Dom Stapleton

As well as being the world’s northernmost capital city, Reykjavik in Iceland is also an incredible place to visit.

We stayed in a hotel right in the middle of the city and spent most days walking around from there. The main thing we noticed (apart from the cold, of course) was that the people are so friendly. At home, trying to cross the road is a nightmare, but in Reykjavik, the cars are literally queuing up to let you across.

When my partner and I went, in January 2013, the sun only started rising at about 10 am, which was a strange experience. And it got dark at about 4 pm each day!